Ever since the creation of the world, God's eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things that God has made. Spirit, moving over chaos, bringing light where there was none, be to us a light, revealing where the work is to be done. Praise to God, among us dwelling, praise the Spirit giving light. Breath, instilling animation, giving life, informing soul, breathe into all our beings life that makes the Body whole. Praise to God, among us dwelling: praise the Spirit giving life. Power, Lifeforce, Inspiration, blowing, breathing, brooding here, call, enliven, and empower for your work, both far and near. Praise to God, among us dwelling, praise the Spirit giving strength. The whole world before you, O God, is like a grain that tips the scales, and like a drop of morning dew that falls on the ground. But you are merciful to all… For you love all things that exist, and detest none of the things that you have made, for you would not have made anything if you had hated it. How would anything have endured if you had not willed it?… You spare all things, O God, you who love the living, For your immortal spirit is in all things. 1 Alone in the night On a dark hill With pines around me Spicy and still, And a heaven full of stars Over my head, White and topaz And misty red; Myriads with beating Hearts of fire That aeons Cannot vex or tire; I come in the little things, Up the dome of heaven Saith the Lord: Like a great hill, Not borne on morning wings I watch them marching Of majesty, but I have set my Feet Stately and still, Amidst the delicate and bladed wheat That springs triumphant in the furrowed sod. There do I dwell, in weakness and in power; And I know that I Not broken or divided, saith our God! Am honored to be In your strait garden plot I come to flower: Witness About your porch My Vine Of so much majesty. Meek, fruitful, doth entwine; Waits, at the threshold, Love's appointed hour. I come in the little things, Saith the Lord: My starry wings I do forsake, Love's highway of humility to take: Meekly I fit my stature to your need. In beggar's part About your gates I shall not cease to plead – As man, to speak with man – Till by such art I shall achieve My Immemorial Plan, Pass the low lintel of the human heart. 2 In the beginning, God moved. O Mary, God sang, And then God spoke creation into being. Let me chant to you And of the new creation God declared it good. a truth before time. Good were the earth and the waters. O Mary, let me sing into your heart Good were the evening and the day. a truth before space: Good were all living things that drew first breath, and good were the creatures made in God’s image. There And in the beginning was the Word; is The Word would become flesh, the Word would dwell among us. In him was light, in him was life. no The light was given for us. It overcame the darkness. place In him was grace and truth. where And we have seen his glory. Emmanuel. I am not. O Mary, God sang, Life is holy. (Call and answer: Mary's face shone.) 3 O Tebe raduyetsia, Blagodatnaya, fsiakaya tvar, angelskiy sobor, i chelovecheskiy rod, osviashchenniy hrame i rayu slovesniy, devstvennaya pohvalo iz Neya zhe Bog voplottsia i mladenets bist, prezhde vek siy Bog nash; lozhesna bo Tvoya prestol sotvor, i chrevo Tvoye prostranneye nebes sodela. O Tebe raduyetsia, Blagodatnaya, fsiakaya tvar, slava Tebe! All of creation rejoices in You, O Full of Grace – the assembly of angels and the race of humans. O sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, glory of virgins, from whom God was incarnate and became a child – our God before the ages. God made Your body into a throne, and Your womb more spacious than the heavens. All of creation rejoices in You, O Full of Grace. Glory to You! Out of the joyful dark is born the beginning of fulfillment God shows us the beginning in this starlit night that of the ending the holy is found out of the dark here on earth. is born the God shows us fulfillment in the glory of this silver day of our longing. the glory of each ordinary day. "Glory" sing the angels. God shows us "Glory" sing the shepherds in the glory nestled "Glory" sing the heavens in the rocky manger "Glory" we sing the glory of each ordinary place. God shows us in the glory shining from Mary, Joseph, and Jesus the glory of each ordinary human face. "Glory" we sing. 4 Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te, A frosty Christmas Eve gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam, when the stars were shining Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Fared I forth alone where westward falls the hill, Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe, And from many a village Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, in the water'd valley qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; Distant music reach'd me qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. peals of bells aringing: Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. The constellated sounds ran sprinkling on earth's floor Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, As the dark vault above tu solus Dominus, with stars was spangled o'er. tu solus Altissimus, Then sped my thoughts to keep Iesu Christe, that first Christmas of all cum Sancto Spiritu: When the shepherds watching in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. by their folds ere the dawn Heard music in the fields Glory to God in the highest and marvelling could not tell and peace to God’s people on earth. Whether it were angels Lord God, heavenly King, or the bright stars singing… Almighty God and Father, But to me heard afar we worship you, we give you thanks, it was starry music we praise you for your glory. Angels' song comforting as the comforts of Christ Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, When he spake tenderly Lord God, Lamb of God, to his sorrowful flock: you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; The old words came to me You are seated at the right hand of the Father: by the riches of time receive our prayer. Mellow'd and transfigured as I stood on the hill For you alone are the Holy One, Heark'ning in the aspect you alone are the Lord, of th'eternal silence. you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. 5 Stand at the end of the organ introduction ALL SING: Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o'er the plains, and the mountains in reply, echoing their joyous strains. Gloria in excelsis Deo; gloria in excelsis Deo. Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her king; let ev'ry heart prepare him room and heav'n and nature sing, and heav'n and nature sing, and heav'n, and heav'n and nature sing. Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heav'nly song? Gloria in excelsis Deo; gloria in excelsis Deo. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ, while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy. Come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing; Oh, my Bethlehem! come, adore on bended knee Blest is the hour the Savior comes to you. Christ the Lord, the newborn king. Light from your city shines so bright; Gloria in excelsis Deo; Burns like a beacon guiding us safely gloria in excelsis Deo. Straight on our way, in dark and daylight. Sit Oh, my Bethlehem! 6 Shepherds, O hark ye, glad tidings we bring. Peace and good will to the world now we sing. See in the manger Christ the Anointed, Whom for your Savior God hath appointed. We stood on the hills, Lady, Alleluia. Our day’s work done, In yonder manger behold now he lies Watching the frosted meadows Whom angel voices foretold from the skies That winter had won. Seeking Thy mercy, we kneel before Thee, The evening was calm, Lady, Singing Thy praises, humbly adore Thee. The air so still, Alleluia. Silence more lovely than music Still through the ages the song doth resound Folded the hill. Peace and goodwill on the earth shall abound, There was a star, Lady, Bear we the tidings of ev’ry nation, Shone in the night, Born is the Christ Child for our salvation. Larger than Venus it was Alleluia. And bright, so bright. Oh, a voice from the sky, Lady, Betelehemu, It seemed to us then Awa yiori Baba gbojule, Telling of God being born Awa yiori Baba fehenti, In the world of men. Nibo labi Jesu, Nibo lagbe bii And so we have come, Lady, Betelehemu iluara, Our day’s work done, Nibi labi Baba o daju Our love, our hopes, ourselves, Iyin, nifuno. We give to your son. Adupe funo jooni, Baba oloreo toda wasi Nibe labi Baba odaju. Bethlehem, ALL SING: We are glad that we have a Father to trust, We are glad that we have a Father to rely upon.